François-Michel Le Tellier
François-Michel de Bragance (born 10 May, 1685) was the Duc de Bragance. The youngest son of the previous Duc, François quietly succeeded his father as the head of House Bragance. Early Life and Family François-Michel was born at his father's residence called Chateau de Vincennes. Being so late in her life, the birth of François proved to be too much for her and she died only 2 days after he was born. His father was rather embittered by this, and rather disliked spending more than a few hours a month with his youngest son. He was rather close to his sister Marie, who treated him most like a friend compared to the other siblings of the household. His oldest brother, Jean-Baptiste, was rather annoyed that a new child was in the house. Henri rather liked the young François, though he considered the young boy to be like that of a live infant doll. Adrien, though 8 years his senior, treated François most like an intellectual equal, though they had such opposing interests. Much of the boy's childhood was marked by frequent rigorous education. An unusually healthy child, François had immense energies in his youth. Flamboyant and kind-hearted, the young boy rarely afforded the time to properly study in many fields of subject. By age 9, however, the young boy was considered to be well-educated considering his class. François became well educated in literature, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, History, and the arts, and even learned to play the harp. In December of 1694, François lost the brother he was closest to, Adrien, who died rather suddenly. This resulted in much uneasiness within the household. Henri and Jean-Baptist constantly quarreled with one another while their father sent Marie off to marry quite young by 1698. François remained isolated from his family for years, instead going to the great Salons of Paris and attending court independently. He was considered the life of the party wherever he attended aside from court, his quick wit and intellect often proving his ability to judge and comedically comment even in mild malice with the audiences around him reacting with thunderous applause and laughter. Becoming the Duke and Love Interests After the loss of both his surviving brothers by the end of 1709, the 24 year old François was the heir to his rather unhappy and bitter father. The elderly Duc was very displeased by the loss of his family around him. Having out-lived many of his generation, the 56 year old Jean was extremely depressed. He withdrew from court in early 1710, leaving François to conduct business and attend court. This is where François met Louise Madeline de Ventadon, the Dame d'Elernay. The two were very soon inseperable, despite the Duc's best efforts to divide the two, and eventually forced the Duc to allow them to marry. However, their romance of two years would soon become fruitful, when in 1712 a son was born, named Louis-Michel. François was soon made Duc de Bragance and subsequently the head of the House, as his father finally died in 1713. François was ironically mournful of the loss of his father who caused him such pain. He wore black for double the usual mourning time, though when mourning came to an end for the new Duc, he returned to his usual business and pleasures. Few knew, however, until the very day he died, he would get rather upset in privy of his closest friends upon thinking of his father or worse yet Louise, who died the following year in childbirth after bearing a second son. It was known frequently as rumor to the court that he would weep in thick nights of deep contemplation. The flamboyant François was quite often embarassed by this, even though few knew of this occurrence. He considered it to be rather an unwarranted show of emotion that no one should be privy to, similar to an unconcealed blemish that fights and violently resists any and all attempts to cover. The Duc would only remain at peace when around his two sons, whom he adored with all his energies. Friends and lovers alike often commented on François' devotion to his sons and his determination for them to be brought up with confidence, piety, and virtuosity. As time continued, François became very hidden from those around him. He was known to perplex countless individuals because of his wit, but then as he closed himself off from the world mentally, even fewer of those around him could tell what he was thinking. It was not until much later in life that he returned to being more open to the world once more. During this darker period in his life, François began an emotional connection to Jules Hardouin d'Yves, a Baron from the southeast. The two were equally matched in wits, and also equally flamboyant. Their relationship was oddly not physical, considering the two's age and supposed drive. It is unknown why they chose not to become physical, but they were almost always seen together for more than 5 years. Were it not for this relationship, it is said that François would possibly have died much younger. In June of 1724, the year following François' sister Marie's death, the couple split ways on mutual agreement. They remained friends until Jules died in 1731. His death was sparsely commented upon; François himself only speaking the deceased's name once, to his friend Marie-Clémence Gabrielle the Madamoiselle de Mortemart. Later Life Around April of 1734, the aged François began a passionate affection towards a lower noble named Jeanne Antoinette de Clermont. He met her at a Salon in Paris, one which he had been hosting. Jeanne, who had a mutual affection, began writing to François that Spring, thus beginning a short but almost iconic affair between the two. It was the happiest the Duc had been in quite a long time. He met with her privately and frequently throughout their affair, the entire event being the gossip of court for quite a while. Words flew that they were even to be married. While the two would've wanted nothing more than to marry, they could not. Jeanne was married off to foreign noble by her father, and died in Prussia in the harsh Winter of January 1735. The heartbroken François resolved never to fall in love again. He continued to put on a rather bold face, though he lost much of his flamboyance that he had in his youth. His wit, however, remained extremely sharp, though in his later years the nobles and courtiers and such he surrounded himself with noted his loss of heart. the death of his son Henri in October of 1736 would have a profound effect on the Duc. He hardly spoke for a month, and weeped frequently in private. He was granted leave from court to compose himself in this time, until he returned shortly following New Years 1737, when he reverted back to his usual sharp-witted self. He hardly spoke of the event for the rest of his life, though it would be short. Second Marriage and Death In Late April of 1737, the Duc was wishing to remarry. This was not truly for love, but instead he was rather wishing an alliance with another house. The Grand Almoner of the Court finally resolved this issue by betrothing the Duc to Marie Jeanette Hortense, Madamoiselle de Mortemart. Because of his previous marriage being consumated, François had the wedding be morganatic and reserved, so that it may be considered less scandalous. The aged Duc by the time of his marriage had lost not only the interest for consummation but also the willingness to deal with many of the constant petty squabbles that filled the court gossip. François frequently would avoid contact with much of the court, excluding his wife and friends and of course members of the Imperial Family. He made clear to his wife that her extra-marital dalliances were indeed encouraged for her own pleasure, and that he swore to do her no harm. In the early days of the marriage, François gave Jeanette the keys to the Domain de la Duchesse in Clermonceau for her private use until her death. This was also to rather distract her from his more chaste life.